Clay County, Indiana

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 26,466. The county seat is Brazil. Clay County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Indiana Legislature mandated Clay County in 1825, with territory partitioned from Owen, Putnam, Sullivan, and Vigo counties. Its name honors Henry Clay, a famous antebellum American statesman.

The first Courthouse was built in the newly platted town of Bowling Green in 1828. It was a two-story structure of hand-hewn logs.

By the late 1830s Clay County had grown to the extent that the first Courthouse could no longer provide adequate facilities. Therefore, a second Courthouse was constructed near the first Courthouse. This two-story brick structure served until destroyed by fire on November 30, 1851.

By the 1860s the towns of Harmony, Knightsville, and Brazil were growing rapidly, due in part to their location along the National Road, and also because of the many coal companies in that area. An effort to move the county seat of government to a more central location, which had begun in the 1850s, grew stronger creating controversy among citizens. In the 1860s citizens in the northern section of Clay County became more organized in their efforts. In 1871 brothers Robert and John Stewart donated land along the National Road in Brazil for a new courthouse. $5,300 was also raised by citizens in the area to entice the commissioners to move the seat of government from Bowling Green to Brazil. This amount was reportedly the value of the existing courthouse and grounds, thus defusing opponents' argument that abandoning the present courthouse would be a waste of taxpayers money. The relocation efforts, which began in 1871, were challenged in the Supreme Court. The relocation was finally granted in 1876.

In 1912 John W. Gaddis, a prominent architect in Vincennes, Indiana, entered into a contract with the County Commissioners to design, plan, and oversee the construction of a new courthouse. The construction bid of W.H. Bailey and Charles A. Koemer of Louisville, Kentucky was accepted in 1912 with the cornerstone being laid in the fall of 1912. Gaddis had completed several others: in Fairfield and Robinson, Illinois: Perryville, Missouri and two in Indiana, the Putnam County Courthouse in Greencastle (1905) and the Huntington County Courthouse (1906) in Huntington, which are also in Classical Revival mode.

The Clay County Courthouse, built in 1913–1914, is one of the most historically and architecturally significant buildings in Brazil and Clay County, Indiana. Built in Classical Revival style of architecture, it is the only building in Clay County holding county government offices and records. It is also located alongside the famed National Road (Cumberland Trail). The present building is the fifth Clay County Courthouse.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.23%) is land and (or 0.77%) is water. is located in Brazil.

Transportation

Major highways

20px Interstate 70
20px U.S. Route 40
20px State Road 42
20px State Road 46
20px State Road 48
20px State Road 59
20px State Road 157
20px State Road 159
20px State Road 246
20px State Road 340

Airport

The county contains one public-use airport: Brazil Clay County Airport (0I2), serving Brazil, Indiana.

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Brazil have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July.

Board of Commissioners: The Board of Commissioners serves as the county's executive body. The commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. The Board executes acts of the County Council, collects revenue, and runs the day-to-day functions of the county government. and Indiana House of Representatives districts 42, 44 and 46.

Clay County tends to vote Republican. Since 1888, county voters have chosen the Republican Party nominee in 73% (24 of 34) of the elections through 2024.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 26,466. The median age was 41.8 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 94.6% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.7% of the population.

There were 10,614 households in the county, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.6% were married-couple households, 17.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 11,703 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.8% white, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population.

Of the 10,447 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.6% were non-families, and 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 39.9 years.

References

;Specific

;General

Clay County Interim Report by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana

External links

Clay County Official Website